Force sensing slider

A disc drive test slider apparatus for measuring contact force with a surface of a rotating disc media, comprising:

• a slider body for positioning proximate the surface of the rotating disc, the slider body having an air-bearing surface substantially parallel to the surface of the disc and separated from the surface of the disc by a glide height, a leading edge surface and a trailing edge surface, and a cavity including at least one side wall substantially normal to the surface of the disc and at least one wall substantially parallel to the surface of the disc;
• at least one beam flexure attached to the side wall of the cavity;
• a plate attached to the at least one beam flexure in the cavity, the beam flexure having a resiliency to permit movement of the plate in the cavity substantially normal to the surface of the disc;
• and
• a contact rod attached to the plate, the contact rod extending through the cavity and a via in the slider body and having a distal tip projecting from the air-bearing surface, wherein a force applied to the contact rod perpendicular to the surface of the rotating disc media causes displacement of the plate normal to the surface of the disc.

A method of measuring contact force between a disc drive test slider and a rotating disc media, the method comprising:

• providing a mechanical assembly in a cavity in the slider that is displaceable in response to the contact force, the assembly providing a mechanical force to oppose the contact force, the mechanical force increasing with displacement of the assembly;
• operating the disc drive test slider so that contact force is applied to the mechanical assembly;
• and
• measuring the displacement of the assembly.